Files for Playtesting

[Le Sage]

This thread is for uploading files for playtesting by all the hundreds of thousands of fans of Fairy Tale. The files uploaded here will mostly be unfinished works only meant to be tested by volonteer playtesters and commented upon on this thread as well.

 

[Le Sage]

New Smaller Maps

I'd really like some points of views on these new scenario maps. I don't demand that anyone runs them through completely, but I'd like general opinions on issues such as game balance and the maps in general. I will do my own playtesting as well. I've already done a bit of a game on one of them and it's intense and exciting. The maps are meant to be just that; fast-paced, exciting and warlike too. I want something to happen all the time and there should be no boring periods "in-between".

I am especially proud of the last one in this collection, The Collective War. It's based on the first scenario I ever wrote for this game and it does unite all the old characters and well-known situations from Fairy Tale's childhood. You play any of the nations involved in the Collective War. This time around, th eCollective gets reinforcement, as the Dwarves take their side and go to war with the Collective.

Install by dragging the maps into the Fairy Tale/PrivateMaps folder.

Download

 

[ono-neko]

I am checking out the 2nd one "Historical Start". So far into 300 turns, and the game is good. So far, I am loving it.

Edit: Forgot to mention that, I am not a fast-pace player. I usually go for marathon speed, and build up my empire for later glory.

I noticed that you swapped The Black Banner for Tanite Confederation. I am guessing you are keeping the number of Civ in the map at 18 Civs, and this limit is so the game can be available for Mac user? I am curious since you guys are probably going to add the new Civs into the game, somehow.

 

[Le Sage]

Excellent. I will be swapping the civs around later on so that all the ones included in the game will be present at one time or another. According to the lore of the game, Arcana, Zuur and The Black Banner, among others, didn't appear until very late in history, so i would really need some older civilizations to exchange them with as some of them are on the map already. They didn't appear until after the Collective War, actually.

Note that I already placed HighwayHoss' Vestalla. It's just a Barbarian city still, out west.

Also, the lore states that the Vikings live on the Great Peninsula, but in the game they're seen up on the island to the North. A fraction of the Viking nation actually moved south and founded a county on the Peninsula (like Normady in real life, which was a Viking settlement at the beginning, given to the Norse by the King of France). The Crystallin have continually been moving East also during the game's development and have now ended up on the far-east end of the Peninsula.

I need to do some lore rewritings.

 

[ono-neko]

The Eastern area of the continent are full of civilizations, and at one point or another in the game, are a constant battle arena. The Western part is usually very quiet. Lucky Erezon and what his neighbor...

Because Zuur's Blackdragon Isl is getting smaller in the small map, it seems the AI has been struggling to do about anything. It has a lot of food from seafood, but barely any production. It didn't even seem to attempt any expansion to the mainland.

 

[Le Sage]

The Zuur is a problem and have always been. For some reason they just don't want to take the leap over the water, although I gave them boats already. In the bigger map, I solved it by basing a settler and a warrior on the mainland, so that they would settle their second city there, but in the testgame, those either fell victim to barbarians, or the stupid Charzana just disbanded them! I will try it again on this smaller map, because it might just work better...

 

[ono-neko]

I'd say starting in an island with little room for expansion is quite a challenge. Usually when the AI has several cities already, and no room to expand, then they will sail to new land to build cities. From few games I've played, the federation and dark elf did this. Even the Norse expand south to the little islands. Yet, Zuur just stay in their comfortable little island. Maybe they are trying to keep their party private Those drunkard Dals can spoil a party faster than any devils

 

[Le Sage]

Yeah. Let's not invite Nerva. He'll ruin all the fun drinking his Miner's Drool (the world famous homebrew of the Dal) and play loudly on his harp.

Can you believe that the Elchers Clan started out just similar to the Dal, and that the Elchers weren't supposed to be anything but an annoyance too (like Dal)? The Elchers got a good makeover a while ago though, and turned into a world-conquering, land-grabbing supernation. They do really well in all games.

 

[Highwayhoss]

Note that I already placed HighwayHoss' Vestalla. It's just a Barbarian city still, out west.

Ah good I was going to ask you about that...that will save me some trouble; I'll check it out and adjust my civ lore accordingly.

 

[Le Sage]

It's just north of the Western Black Sea. It is visible on maps 6, 7 and 8, I believe. That's just the civ's starting location.

 

[Le Sage]

The Imperial Maps

Here are the early versions of the Imperial Maps. The first one describes the rise of Zuur and the second one, deals with the Great War between good and evil. These are certainly not balanced yet, and I'd like points of view on how to proceed in making them even better.

Download

You know the drill.

 

[ono-neko]

What's the different between map 9 and 10? It seems to be the same civs and city placements from what I can tell.

 

[Le Sage]

It is. Map 9 is supposed to depict the period when the Empire has been established and Zuur is on the rise in the West. On map 9 peace is still reigning in the world when you begin and it's a common scenario in that you take control over one of the major players and lead it to victory through any means.

On map 10 you need to fight the Great War. Zuur has a line of allies; The Collective, Thorshammir and the Black Banner and these are supposed to attack and try to bring down the Empire. The Empire has vassalage over the Vikings and The Crystallin. If you play the Empire, you need to kill the Demon King who resides on Black Dragon Island. It's not possible to make any peaceagreement either. The two sides are locked in war until one of the sides win.

Oh. And I forgot to make it so that you're only able to play the Empire or Zuur on map 10, but that's what I intended.

 

[veBear]

An interesting map could be the at the fall of Thorshammir. You fight either as the Nordic Kingdom, aided by either the Principality or the Elves on the Peninsuela, or the Thorshammir, aided by the Collectiveor or the Matriarchy (If I remember right these were the Principalities enemies). Thorshammir have a large and productive empire, but are savaged by Civil War (a second Thorshammir nation renemed and made a Minor nation on the map). The Nordic are still small, but their army is stronger (better promoted, even if they are fewer). An idea could be to plase the vikings on an easier difficulty than Thorshammir. This would in many ways make it harder for the more widespread and more war-savaged Thorshammir to regain its now falling glory, while the Nordic Kingdom rise as another Nation fall into Civil War-savaged and destroyed kingdom. You could use the map from the Nordiv War Scenario.

And the maps sounds good. I shall take a look at them now and then write a rewiew

 

[ono-neko]

You know, so far these scenarios have involved only most of the western nations. The western nations basically can be ignored without consequences. In this case, why not simply make the scenario with only part of the map and use full map only when the scenario involves every nations. That will make the map smaller and easier to manage (it'd help for domination victory).

Speaking of western nations, Ezeron and its northen neighbor (forgot the name) are left out of the world's action. Even the south (orcs?) nation is negligible.

I think the best is, IMHO, the scenario that involves mainly (or only) the western and central, then cut out the map so it only shows area/nations that are involved. Basically, show the part of the map that concerns only the scenario. I think it's more practical, speed up the game (less map area, less nation, less units means less memory usage).

 

[Le Sage]

VeBear: Thanks for the scenario idea. i will prolly make more maps in the future too, so ideas are really good. And I'm looig forward to your review and opinions.

Ono-Neko: I had really planned to make the two war maps into world wars, with all nations divided into two great alliances fighting each other with no neutrals at all. At least, scenario 10 would be an interesting game in that context with the front line running right through the great desert.

As VeBear suggests, as well, it might be interesting to design smaller scenarios as well, with cut-outs of the bigger maps, portraying regions of the game world and local historical events. Perhaps with 3-5 civs each.

 

[ono-neko]

Btw, the map area where Erezon is, I think you may want to give them some rivers. Although Erezon is quite isolated, she usually grows very slow and left behind quick. With some rivers, that will give Erezon some commerce for better growth.

 

[Le Sage]

Yeah! Good idea. Thanks. I will.

 

[Le Sage]

A cutout

Here's a map of just the Peninsula and the Western areas up to just beyond The Western Black Sea. The Viking lands are also included. The map is a cutout and a very small version of the previous maps I've been doing these past days. It's fast and furious, although the game start may be a little slow. All nations present have similar starting resources and positions though.

Two sides face each other. The Bad; Zuur, Collective and Thorshammir Dwarves stand against The Good; The Empire, Crystallin and Viking. And I guess the Black Banner plays the role of the Ugly then, for they are a neutral power in between the two alliances. Both alliances are locked in conflict and peace cannot be made. The Black Banner, is free to choose its side, and from my two playtest games, they do very well on their own too.

Tell me what you think and what you want changed. Here is the download.

 

[Le Sage]

The Peninsula

Map that covers the Peninsula as well as the Northern Sea and all the islands in-between. This map is small, 53x57 tiles, but has 7 Civs at random starting locations and freely selectable leaders, so it should supply an exciting game. This scenario starts from the very beginning at the invention of the Wheel.

Download